So much of what any fan can expect from their favorite team between seasons is unknown. What can be counted on is always an injury away from disappearing entirely. While projections for the Kansas City Chiefs are positive because they have gathered and developed one of the best rosters in the National Football League, they also have some question marks. In fact, they have a good many of them.
When you have 9 of the top 100 players in the league — Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce, Tamba Hali, Alex Smith, Derrick Johnson, Jamaal Charles, Marcus Peters, Eric Berry and Justin Houston as perceived by other NFL players — you might think the Chiefs would have fewer question marks or… unknowns. If that was your mindset you would be sorely mistaken.
If they are to succeed in 2016, the Chiefs must go beyond the great unknowns. Here then, we will explore strange new worlds, and boldly go, where no one has gone before… BEYOND the Chiefs great unknowns.
Since the Star Trek franchise is based on such a hopeful humanity, I’ll offer my greatest hope for each of these Chiefs unknowns.
When will Justin Houston be back… and at full strength?
Dr. Leonard McCoy: I’m a doctor… not a magician.
I believe the best we can hope for is that Justin Houston returns to limited action on October 16th for the Oakland Raiders game. You wouldn’t want to have him return on Oct. 2nd for the Steelers game and then turn around and rest him during the bye week. Instead, go ahead and rest him the first 4 games… Chargers, Texans, Jets and Steelers… and then bring him back for the last three-fourths of the season. Bringing Houston back before that time seems too risky. We want him back at full strength and for good. So, if it takes longer for him to heal… I say let him rest.
Will two offensive guards rise to provide solid play there this year? Who mightent those two be?
Captain James T. Kirk: Beam them up Scotty. Now!
I predict those two positions will be held by… LG Parker Ehinger and RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
Ehinger should get a shot at left guard if he continues to produce when the pads and the hitting begin. Once that happens, you can depend on head coach Andy Reid being consistent in his approach to the offensive line since he arrived in 2013. First, he drafted Zach Fulton and gave him a shot as a rookie. Next, he drafted Mitch Morse and gave him a shot as a rookie. He also inserted Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (LDT) in his second season… as soon as was humanly possible for a “project” lineman… and so, Parker Ehinger should get a legitimate shot as the starter at left guard.
LDT should get the right guard position unless some other lineman blows it up in training camp. He may also be getting the nod by default. Zach Fulton can not only play guard but he performed mostly admirably as a replacement center last year so he should end up the Chiefs inside swing man. Jah Reid has moved all over as well and should get the tackle swing job. That leaves LDT… basically… to plug in at right guard.
It’s difficult to project 6-foot-4 Jarrod Pughsley or 6-foot-1 Daniel Munyer there. By inserting Ehinger and LDT in those spots, that gives Reid a group of athletic linemen with size: 6-foot-7 Fisher, 6-foot-6 Ehinger, 6-6 Morse, 6-foot-6 LDT and 6-foot-5 Schwartz… and then 6-foot-5 Fulton and 6-foot-7 Jah Reid as backups.
Will the shadow of Sean Smith haunt Phillip Gaines this whole season?
Mr. Spock: That is highly illogical.
See my piece called, “Let’s Talk Up Phillip Gaines” for more on how I feel about Phillip Gaines. The short take: nah… he’ll be fine and fans while forget about…… uhhh… now… what was I talking about?
Will a productive second wide receiver step up and produce?
Captain James T. Kirk: I like to believe that there are always… possibilities.
It’s time to find out if Chris Conley can go Army… and Be All You Can Be. Same goes for Albert Wilson and Rod Streater or even Demarcus Robinson. The development of Conley and the additions of Streater and Robinson gives the Chiefs more talent to work with at the wide receiver position than they’ve had in more than a decade.
Will Tyler Bray win the back-up quarterback position outright?
James T. Kirk: “A no-win situation is a possibility any commander may face.“
This is hardly a no-win situation for Tyler Bray. Bray “should” have been drafted in the 2013 NFL draft but was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. I say should because, had it not been for his immaturity, his talent would have taken him to the top ten of the draft. After a good second season… in which he only threw 6 interceptions… he was projected to go in the top ten that year. But, things change. Ship hattens. The man (who is no longer a boy) has got himself a rifle arm and was born under the sign of Hail Mary. Part of Bray’s success may be attributed to who he was pitching to, 6-foot-4 inch Justin Hunter in 2011 and 6-foot-3 inch Cordarrelle Patterson in 2012. With Hunter running a 4.36- 40 and Patterson running a 4.33, Bray had to make sure he got the ball out of his hands quickly… and deep. What is clear from Bray’s tape is that he did that on a consistent basis. So, if Andy Reid is looking to infuse his offense with the long ball, and needs a guy who can get the ball out there, a guy who could utilize his wideouts speed… speed like Tyreek Hill (4.25), Jeremy Maclin (4.33), Chris Conley (4.33), Albert Wilson (4.38) Rod Streater (4.36), De’Anthony Thomas (4.29) and Jamaal Charles (4.28)… then Tyler Bray could be a lot of fun to watch. That is if he gets the nod as the back-up QB… and then some tragedy happens to Alex Smith. I’m just sayin’.
Will new offensive coordinators Brad Childress and Matt Nagy benefit this offense?
Hikaru Sulu: Warp Speed Captain.
When Brad Childress became the coach of the Minnesota Vikings in 2006, their offense finished 25th in the league scoring less than 18 points per game. By 2009 the Vikings had climbed to 5th in the league in scoring at 29.4 points per game. Because the Chiefs aren’t in dire straights the way the Vikings started out, in 2006, Childress could have a tremendous effect on the offense in 2016, with a very quick turn around… more than what many are even suspecting.
Part of the reason for this is because Brad Childress already has Andy Reid’s ear. He’s a trusted confidänte. Besides the fact is that he’s been an “active analyzer” (meaning, he’s not just a thumb twiddler) with the team for the past 3 years, plus Childress has already served as Reid’s offensive coordinator in Philly.
Then, there’s this: Reid and Childress are two of the more “open minds” in the league when it comes to being willing to add a unique twist-and-shout to their offenses.
Consequently, I expect a rather immediate positive impact. Besides, when you sit and just “observe” for three years… you have to have a bit of the Mad Scientist in you.
Now, why is Matt Nagy a “co” anything? I suppose Reid needs to be planning ahead for when Childress goes to head coach another team next year because the Chiefs win it all this year.
Will De’Anthony Thomas or Tyreek Hill make the roster?
Pavel Chekov: Admiral. We have found the nuclear wessel.
When De’Anthony Thomas essentially abandoned the team, for what appears to be self-preservation purposes, at the end of last season, including the playoffs, he basically sealed his own fate. It’s a hard place to be in as a coach… in the midst of a battle to make the playoffs and then the playoff run itself… and you don’t have all the players you thought you could count on to make that happen.
So, if you’re Thomas, and your team drafts someone who has similar traits, traits that are even better than you own, then the writing’s on the wall.
Personally, I’d like to see the Chiefs find a way to keep both De’Anthony Thomas and Tyreek Hill. However, Andy Reid’s pathology dictates that he give his most recent draft choices a chance to prove themselves first… and… if it’s a tie between a vet and a rookie… tie goes to the rookie. Since Andy Reid came to fountain town, only one drafted rookie has not made the team in September of that same year and that’s FB Braden Wilson (who was displaced when Dorsey traded CB Javier Arenas to Arizona for FB Anthony Sherman).
Will Dee Ford morph into the next Justin Houston?
Mr. Spock: Random chance seems to have operated in our favor
Dee Ford showed he can be “The Man” when he single-handedly came up big during a game vs San Diego with a 3-sack attack in that battle, then he saved the day on the last play of the game. Can he do it on a more regular basis? He has personally recognized and admitted this offseason that he needs to be more consistent so, I’m not betting against him. After all… recognition is the first key to recovery, right?
Will left tackle Eric Fisher take one giant step forward in Stardate 0-9.2-0-1-6?
Mr. Spock: If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
I think Spock hit the nail on the proverbial Arrowhead. So did our own Brandon Chester in his astute article called, “The Future of the O-line” when he said,
“After suffering minor injuries as a rookie, having offseason shoulder surgery in 2014 and suffering from a high ankle sprain in 2015, Fisher hasn’t had the chance to start a season off strong yet. It’s safe to say that Fisher is aware of that and has taken full advantage of his 2016 offseason, coming in stronger and in the best shape of his life. This year, I’m confident Fisher hits the ground rolling, because he knows he needs to prove his value and earn himself a contract extension.”
I can’t get away from the images I have of Eric Fisher dominating everyone during Senior Bowl week in 2013: practices as well as the game. Am I saying he was perfect that week? No, but he was clearly the best lineman in that draft and if the Chiefs had it to do over, I’d hope they drafted Eric Fisher. I know… I know… you think he’s not worthy of the first overall pick. True, but Fisher has been on a steady progression and he’s projected to have his best season yet. And… I’m hoping for Pro Bowl behavior from him. Especially since he kicked J.J. Watts bee-you-tee-tee and pinned him to the ground in the Chiefs playoff beat down over them thar Texans.
Will Justin March pick up where he left off last season and really contribute?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Make it so.
I have my doubts about March. I have my hopes… but then there are definitely doubts. You see, March is the poster boy for Chiefs “unknowns” this season. We know so little about him, yet he was doing so well in camp last year before his injury… there is a bit of mystique and intrigue to his presence. I guess we’ll know… when we find out. Is he really capable of being the impact player he was last year… or was that just a nebulous nebula?
Will the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl this year?
To boldly go where no man — where no one — has gone before…
… well not since 1969… to end a 47 year drought. For the year 2016 to be better than the year of 1969…
+ Someone must try and top walking on the moon. No, not Moonwalking.
+ You’d have to beat the invention of the microprocessor. Yep, that was the year.
+ More hippies and rocks fans would have to gather than they did at Woodstock. Oh yea, I forgot about the city of San Francisco.
+ Unemployment will have to dip below 3.6% (currently 4.9%)
+ A couple of someone’s will have to beat John & Yoko’s “bed-in.” Or not… who really wants to see that.
+ You’d have to be electing a president who lies less than Richard Nixon… oh wait… never mind.
+ You’d have to be more definitive than the U.S. Air Force who closed “Project Blue Book” decisively that year concluding, “There is no such thing as an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO).” Apparently they hadn’t seen Star Trek.
I recall 1969 vividly. I was a teenager then. However, I think this year can beat out 1969 and here’s how…………. the Kansas City Chiefs will beat 2 out of 3 of their nemi-sissy’s in the playoffs to reach the Super Bowl: the Colts and/or the Broncos and/or the Patriots… then in the big game they’ll beat their original AFL v. NFL foe (when they were the Dallas Texans)… the Dallas Cowboys. At the awards ceremony Clark Hunt will claim the Lombardi trophy (which could have been called the Stram trophy if the Chiefs had won Super Bowls I & IV… because 1+4 means you get to name the trophy). Then the streets of Kansas City will look like this.
A little revisionist history? Sure, why not… this is a science-fiction piece anyway isn’t it?
One more…
Will Andy Reid (ever) learn how to manage the clock?
Dr. Leonard McCoy: Are you out of your Vulcan mind?
What he said.
What do you say Chiefs fans? I say… may the Chiefs “Live long, and prosper.” May I also suggest, “QaQ jaj Hegh let cheifs pabwI’.” Klingon translation: “It’s a good day to be a die hard Chiefs follower.” What do you say Chiefs fans? Think this is a good day to be a Chiefs fan?
Don’t miss Eric Berry flexing on top of the Enterprise!